Bust a Move to Michael Jackson

Though I received a late introduction to the King of Pop, I have become a die-hard fan of Michael Jackson's music. My friends always knew me to jam out to my Michael Jackson "Thriller" cassette in my car during high school. We all have our Michael Jackson moments. Don't you remember the time you first saw "Thriller" video or picked your favorite Michael Jackson song? My personal favorite, "Man in the Mirror," gives me butterflies.


But more importantly, Michael jackson's legacy will continue through his dance moves. With his legendary moonwalk, Michael Jackson will be known for owning the dance floor. Baby, he was bad. But MJ will also be known for making US want to move. We didn't just sit around a fireplace while listening to his music--we were watching TV trying to copy his moves or we were at a party and jumped up immediately when we heard the DJ play "Billie Jean." All weekend, people were listening to his music, holding private dance parties and grooving to the MJ marathon tributes on the radio, thinking, MJ, you rock my world.

This got me thinking about dancing as exercise. Exercise has become another part of me--I go to the gym everyday so that I can be a P.Y.T. (pretty young thing). Rather than do a basic cardio workout each day, I decided to take a Zumba class which is an exercise routine that consists of Latin dance moves. I burned hundreds of calories while I was dancing. Studies have shown that dancing helps with brain activity; thinking about the dance sequences or the next step in a song can increase brain activity and improve memory. Other studies have found that music can help you stay positive while working out--it can change your mood and emotions, helping you feel refreshed, changing your whole outlook on your day, your week or your life. Even if you don't want to take a dance class, buy MJ's CD's or download a remix of his music so that you can listen to the tunes while you're walking on the treadmill. Better yet, download the "Thriller" video and learn the steps so you can bust a move at the next dance party.

So if you're sad that you won't be able to get tickets to his comeback tour, go to the gym and listen to some music--it will make you feel better while you slim down. So take out your record player, tape player, CD player or an iPod and start dancing to your favorite MJ song. He revolutionized the music and dance world and he wanted you to move, so get off the wall and burn this disco out.

To check out the other ways that Michael Jackson changed the world, click here.